Chapter 142: The Sheep of Chaka, Six-Ingredient Rehmannia

After checking in, they walked along the path leading to the small wooden cabins. Their feet crunched softly against a layer of salt crystals, filling the air with a sense of pure freshness.

Beneath a brilliant blue sky dotted with white clouds stood the little wooden houses.

They looked truly magnificent in photographs.

He Ku'er was already too impatient to wait, snapping selfies and uploading them to her Moments.

Although their journey had only lasted two days so far, He Ku'er had posted to her Moments no less than ten times.

"Let's sleep for two hours first. It's best to let the midday hours pass by because the sunlight is a bit too harsh right now, and the scenery isn't at its best. We'll gather in the afternoon to grab some dinner and then head straight to the salt lake! Remember to pack an extra layer. If you girls insist on wearing dresses... well, September nights in the Northwest are still quite cold," Lin Shenlu advised before opening the door to his own wooden cabin.

The cabin was very new, having just opened in 2021, after all.

The indoor facilities were fully equipped, and there was no strange odor whatsoever.

What made it most striking was that the cabin—from the walls to the floor and all the way up to the ceiling—was paneled with strips of deep yellow wood...

This created a fantastic visual effect.

The detached wooden cabins were spaced far apart from one another, completely eliminating any noise issues.

A large window occupied nearly the entire wall, flanked by blue curtains that happened to be Lin Shenlu's favorite color.

The bedsheets were pristine white, while the duvet was a soft light gray.

The clean and minimalist color palette filled Lin Shenlu with a deep fondness for the cabin.

Perhaps because September nights in the Northwest are genuinely freezing, the owner had thoughtfully prepared an electric blanket and a humidifier.

This ensured a comfortable and restful night's sleep.

Lin Shenlu drew the curtains, stripped off his clothes, and prepared to indulge in a hot shower.

While traveling in the RV, they had truly been reluctant to use hot water.

Taking a comfortable shower and then sinking into a proper afternoon nap sounded absolute bliss.

Just as his left foot stepped into the bathroom, with half of his backside still exposed to the room, Lin Shenlu heard the door being pushed open.

He Ku'er barged right in.

"What the hell!" Lin Shenlu froze in shock.

Why was this girl so reckless?

She must have seen his bare backside, right?

"Wow... Uncle, you are so pale!" Far from feeling any embarrassment, He Ku'er dropped down and sat right on the edge of the bed.

"Are you out of your mind? You don't knock before entering a room? I'm taking a shower!" Lin Shenlu protested.

"What's there to be afraid of, Uncle? I've realized you old folks are just so uptight! Nothing even happened... And besides, even if something *did* happen, it wouldn't be a big deal..." He Ku'er gave a light huff.

Lin Shenlu was utterly speechless. Were all post-00s kids this uninhibited nowadays?

"Have some modesty! Girls need to have some modesty!" Lin Shenlu muttered in disbelief.

"I went to my classmate's house the other day... The moment I walked in, my classmate and her boyfriend were playing poker right there on the sofa... When I walked in, neither of them even stopped... They even told me to sit down and wait for a bit! And I wasn't even embarrassed at all." He Ku'er gave another light sniff.

Lin Shenlu didn't even know how to respond anymore; he realized the generational gap between him and He Ku'er was simply too vast.

"Seriously, what are you even here for? If you don't need anything, please get out... I need to take a shower!" Lin Shenlu couldn't be bothered to argue with a kid.

He Ku'er smoothly slid across the bed and stretched out completely, her long, slender legs extending indefinitely.

"I left my phone charger in the car, and I just wanted to borrow one from you... What are you rushing for!"

Lin Shenlu grabbed a bath towel to wrap around his lower body, then walked over to his backpack and pulled out a charger.

"Now get out!"

"Hmph, the moment I go back, I'm going to tell Sister An that your butt is exceptionally pale!" He Ku'er laughed and scampered out of the room.

...

Lin Shenlu fell asleep.

He had to admit, the bed here was comfortable to an almost excessive degree.

And perhaps it really was due to the surrounding salt crystals.

The magnetic field was exceptional.

Lin Shenlu slept profoundly well.

After getting dressed, Lin Shenlu prepared to head out for a meal with An Muxi and He Ku'er.

Meanwhile, He Ku'er seemed a little dazed outside.

"Uncle, I believe you now. The magnetic field from all this salt is so strong, why do I feel a little dizzy from sleeping?"

...

As they stepped out of the cabin courtyard, waves of rich meat aromas drifted into their nostrils from the street.

"Wulan Chaka mutton... a classic delicacy," Lin Shenlu praised enthusiastically.

Just by inhaling the savory scent of the meat, Lin Shenlu couldn't help but fantasize about this mutton, which had enjoyed the reputation of being a tribute-quality meat since ancient times.

The free-range Chaka sheep grazed on natural pasture grasses rich in minerals—pure, organic, and completely unpolluted—making for exceptionally high-quality mutton.

"Give me a plate of hand-grabbed mutton, three portions of roasted highland barley flour, yak yogurt... and some buttered tea!"

Once they reached this region, the cuisine gradually took on a strongly localized character.

"Chaka mutton doesn't have a very heavy gamy taste, and it's delightfully chewy. If your teeth aren't in good shape, you shouldn't bother trying it!" Lin Shenlu warned.

"Are you kidding? I could never live off someone else, and my teeth are in fantastic shape!" He Ku'er was already starving and could barely wait.

She had only had a simple bowl of porridge for breakfast and was struggling to hold on until now.

"Uncle, the food here really doesn't suit my palate!" He Ku'er said unhappily after tasting a bit of everything.

"The mutton is too tough to chew, the barley flour is a bit dry, the yogurt is too sour... and I just can't get used to the buttered tea!" She glanced over at An Muxi. "Sister An is too polite to say anything, but looking at her expression, she isn't enjoying it either..."

Lin Shenlu smiled and explained, "This is the local specialty. Qinghai is located on a plateau with a cold climate, where animal husbandry makes up a large proportion of the economy, and staple crops are mainly spring wheat, highland barley, and rapeseed... Therefore, the local diet heavily features beef, mutton, and wheat-based dishes, with much bolder flavors."

After a brief pause, Lin Shenlu continued, "You think this sheep isn't top-tier? Let me tell you, the mutton here is the most delicious of all. First of all, these are Tibetan sheep, raised free-range on plateaus and alpine grasslands. During foraging, they even get to eat precious medicinal herbs like caterpillar fungus, and they drink melted snow water... heck, even their droppings are practically herbal pills."

"So, throughout their entire growth process, they aren't exposed to any pollution. The meat is tender, highly nutritious, and lacks any gamey odor. Naturally, that's also why the local roasted meat doesn't use cumin."

As soon as Lin Shenlu finished speaking, He Ku'er eagerly chimed in, "Then let's go eat roasted meat!"

"Let's save that for tonight. Tonight I'll take you out to have kang-style mutton and beef, offal, and yak bone soup—they're all delicious... and we can arrange for some barbecue too!" Lin Shenlu said with a smile.

...

After finishing their meal, the trio began preparing to head toward the Chaka Salt Lake.

At this time of day, the sunlight, temperature, and breeze were all at their absolute best.

The thought of the natural crystallized salt lake they were about to witness filled them with anticipation.

Often hailed as China's Mirror of the Sky.

Perhaps soon, even they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the real world and the illusion mirrored in the water.

"Uncle, Sister An said you're a professional photographer. Can you teach me how to take good photos at the salt lake later? I heard the salt lake is massive!" He Ku'er asked curiously.

"The salt lake is huge—105 square kilometers. Having a large area is a great thing; it guarantees plenty of compositional space and reflection angles. If it were too small, you wouldn't get the same stunning effect at all!"